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Autumn festival highlight of tour
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- Chinese key opinion leaders Baozou Sisters, right, join Marianas Visitors Authority managing director Christopher A. Concepcion, second from left, and MVA marketing specialist Laura Hsiao, left, aboard the Mid-Autumn Festival sunset cruise on Sept. 15, 2016. (MVA)
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- Chinese media and tourists celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival on Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands, with a sunset dinner cruise on Sept. 15, 2016. (MVA)
The Mid-Autumn Festival celebrated by residents of many Asian countries attracted both media and consumers from China to the Northern Marianas this year for a four-day familiarization tour highlighted by a sunset dinner cruise on festival day.
The tour was organized by the Marianas Visitors Authority and is expected to bring an estimated $131,000 in ad exposure to the Northern Marianas via various media outlets.
“The Mid-Autumn Festival is like Thanksgiving in the U.S.,” explained MVA marketing specialist Laura Hsiao, who accompanied the media during their tour. “Family and friends get together to celebrate this special day. We watch the moon, eat moon cakes, and have a party!”
The cruise entertained guests with quiz games, dancing, the participation of key opinion leader Baozou Sisters, a professional emcee from Chinese television, and eventually the appearance of the highly-anticipated full moon from behind dark clouds.
“We heard from Saipan Travel Inc. that there were actually many more tourists who wanted to join the party, but the boat could only board about 120 people,” said MVA managing director Christopher A. Concepcion, who also welcomed and mingled with guests at the party. “We plan to hold a third mid-autumn festival party next year as well, and will continue to build the event from there as long as there is demand.”
Participating media included magazine China Travel Agent, Southern Airline in-flight magazine Gateway, Guandong region-targeting website Gd.qq.com, online and radio outlet Baozou Sisters, key opinion leader Han Yu, and Nanfang Metropolis Daily newspaper.
Additional experiences in the Northern Marianas to be featured include: an island tour, shopping, marine sports, Managaha, an ATV jungle tour, stargazing, sunset watching, scuba diving, self-driving tour, and seafood dinners at Saipan Grandvrio and Fiesta Resort & Spa Saipan. The group lodged at Saipan Grandvrio during their tour. (MVA)
